A Quick Note To The Arkansas Fans Who Are Upset With The Bielema Hiring
Posted by Adam Butler on December 4, 2012
I understand if you are a tad disappointed because he will bring “boring” football. I get that. I, and 3,000-yard passer Russell Wilson and NCAA career touchdown leader Montee Ball disagree, but we get it.
The bottom line is Bielema wins. A lot. And, he has done so at a program similar to Arkansas (recruiting disadvantages, but the advantage of statewide fanbase dominance).
He is proven. He is experienced (but relatively young). He is not a retread.
You may not think so, but this hire was a MAJOR shot over the bow, nationally.
Take a look around. No program in America has hired away a sitting NFL Head Coach and then, 5 years later, a sitting (3-consecutive) Rose Bowl head coach. Not one.
PS–He has also already proven he can recruit 4 or 5-star Florida talent.
Andrew C. Thompson said
I think it is a remarkable hire. Jeff Long has shown once again that he is a master of deception, as well as a savvy CEO of Arkansas athletics. No one should be disappointed with this hire. He’ll have us up to speed as quickly as anyone could, and he will compete with the big dogs of the conference as well as anyone would.
Adam Butler said
Andrew–
Yup, but you can’t get Hog fans to agree on anything except #ClayTravisIsaTroll.
Brain said
Is anyone more happy than BWOT to have a fellow brother of the Bret with one T club? Congrats!
Jim Gooch said
Lots of good stuff about him. Some “really” good stuff. But GD it was fun having an NFL offense, with superstar quarterbacks ( I know, Russel Wilson). But then again, we weren’t going to quite get that with anybody other than Petrino. But now we have to try to beat Alabama at its own game. I’ve always agreed with those who thought we had to have a different recipe to make up for the recruiting disadvantage (Bo Mattingly has made the argument very well in the past).
Adam Butler said
Bielema by the offensive #s:
Four times they have rushed for more yards, three years they have passed for more
In 2011 it was 3,298 and 3,280.
2006: 2,749 passing, 2,102 rushing
2007: 2,704 passing, 2,610 rushing
2008: 2,745 rushing, 2,445 passing
2009: 2,770 passing, 2,650 rushing
2010: 3,194 rushing, 2,593 passing
2011: 3,298 rushing, 3,280 passing
2012: 3,091 rushing, 2,114 passing
Fred said
Boring football? After dumping a three touchdown lead to the Louisiana-Monroe school for the poor and not being able to keep Ole Miss out of the end zone the second half, I’ll take boring.
Adam Butler said
Fred–
I am just responding to the complaints I have heard. I don’t think winning is boring.
Andrew C. Thompson said
I do think it is interesting to watch the way ESPN is reacting to this hire. Both Matt Millen and Mark Schlabach have given reactions that are in the “tepid to downright cold” category. I attribute both the content and tone of what they have said to three things:
1. They don’t like the fact that “the media” was not aware of the Bielema possibility and had not been reporting on it; in other words, that they were duped.
2. They don’t like the fact that Pat Forde at Yahoo! broke the story rather than themselves; in other words, that they were scooped.
3. They don’t like Arkansas generally, they never have, and because of their built-in prejudice they don’t understand why a coach would leave a place like Wisconsin and go to a place like Arkansas. They are ignorant and confused, and the only way they know how to relate that as “journalists” is through a vague hostility to the entire thing as a news story.
Jim Gooch said
I like that, Andrew. What are they saying, if you can paraphrase a little?
Andrew C. Thompson said
Matt Millen said he didn’t like it, that it didn’t seem to fit right, and that it smacked of a money grab to him. He words it really awkwardly, as if he has no real reason for his feeling and that it is just that — a feeling.
You really ought to watch it: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8709844
Mark Schlabach is almost just as vague. He says something about the fact that Bielema is a Midwestern guy and that he just doesn’t know how well he’ll fit in down in the South and in the SEC. The ESPN anchor does have the presence of mind to mention Nick Saban, a Midwesterner who has done just fine in the SEC. He should have also mentioned Les Miles, another Midwesterner with SEC success, and oops, Urban Meyer as well. Then there’s Bobby Petrino, who I think is from Montana and didn’t have a lot of problems finding SEC success. The point, of course, is that it is just a silly point for Schlabach to bring up and one that probably comes from the fact that he got his feelings hurt that Pat Forde broke the story instead of him.
Here’s the Schlabach clip: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8709906
Adam Butler said
The early #s suggest it wasn’t a huge (comparative) money grab–nothing like The Gussiah to AU move that apparently didn’t bother the worst GM in NFL history.
Jim Gooch said
Hahaha. Thx.
Adam Butler said
Gooch–
Millen is mad UA didn’t hire a former WR.
Jerry said
I’m sure we will recruit and line up and run the ball down Bama and lsu’s throat!
Jim Gooch said
I wax thinking that’s who Matt millen was, Adam, the old lions gm.
Andrew, the Schlabach thing is funny. Midwestern guy not fitting in “down there,” like he took a job as a soccer coach in Bolivia.
Adam Butler said
Right. Because Midwestern guys like Saban, Miles and Meyer have failed so miserably upon moving South into the SEC. I’m not surprised by their group-think, though.
Jim Gooch said
“They” truly don’t like Arkansas. It’s not paranoia; it’s reality.